Objective: To determine the selection criteria for cochlear implantation in children.
Setting: Hospital pediatric implant center.
Patients and interventions: Selection of patients depends on medical evaluation, audiometric data, speech discrimination, communication skills, cognitive skills, and psychosocial factors. Patient selection is based on tonal audiometry, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and electrophysiologic tests. Side of implantation is chosen according to cochlear structure, duration of deafness, and dominant handedness.
Results: Ninety-eight cochlear implantations with the Nucleus multichannel implant have been performed at this center since 1990.
Conclusion: The selection of children for cochlear implantation require close collaboration between the pediatric surgical team, the educational team, and the family.